The Hanging Tree
by MarcellusMiro66
Summary: Harper unwillingly leads a team of renegade Trolls to help Poppy and Branch save the other captive Trolls. (AU that takes place during the film.)
1. Chapter 1

_Hi, everyone, **MarcellusMiro66** here! This is a **Trolls** Interquel told from a different POV. The story and style are reminiscent of **The African Queen (1951)** and **The Dirty Dozen (1967)**._

 _The synopsis is described as such below:_ **_"_ _Still residing in Branch's bunker while awaiting his and Princess Poppy's safe and sound return, a certain young Troll who paints with her hair decides to go after them both. Not one to do, four more Trolls sneak off after Harper and then struggle to find a way to help Poppy and Branch free the other captive Trolls."_**

 _The central cast is also listed below:_

 _• **Harper (voiced by** _**_Quvenzhané Willis)_** _: The proclaimed leader of her own version of Princess Poppy's Snack Pack, Harper had doubts on whether or not she is over her head in her attempt to help the Princess save the other captured Trolls.  
_ _• **Mandy Sparkledust (voiced by Kandee Johnson)** : One of Poppy's closest friends who serves as a big sister figure towards Harper. She is initially skeptical of the latter's venture, but eventually relents and join her quest out of pity.  
_ _• **Moxie Dewdrop (voiced by Meg DeAngelis)** : An average-sized Troll with a passion for dancing, Moxie is the best friend of Cookie Sugarloaf (listed below) who learns of Harper's journey to save the other captive Trolls...but doesn't learn the real reason why she joined it.  
_ _• **Cookie Sugarloaf (voiced by Grace Helbig)** : The best friend of Moxie Dewdrop (listed above), Cookie is attempting to find out what her specialty is. She joins Harper's Snack Pack in order to do so.  
_ _• **Aspen Heitz (voiced by Ricky Dillon)** : A Troll with an affinity for foliage skitterboarding, Aspen Heitz lives up to his name by braving the highest peaks. He joins Harper's Snack Pack out of gentlemanly manner.  
_ _• **Creek (voiced by Russell Brand)** : A calm and positive Troll who approached sticky situations with an equally sticky-sweet Zen-like wisdom, Creek had secretly escaped the clutches of the Bergens to save his own skin. Nobody but himself knows this fact just yet. _

_**" One Small Thing"**: While the story is somewhat small-scale, the scope/expanded universe is similar to **Star Wars (1977)** while the action sequences are akin to **John Wick (2014)**. So, with that said..._

 _Enjoy! If you can..._

* * *

 ** _Episode 1: " The One Great Escape Into..."_**

Harper gathered all the necessary items needed for a journey and organized them into one of Branch's many backpacks. Snatching up a black hooded cloak and a red scarf, she placed both of them on and slung her knapsack before heading towards the exit. Pulling the lever as carefully as she could, the platform lifted her up until she reached the entrance, which she closed behind her after stepping off. Turning around to face the gateway to the outside world, she took a deep gulp and hesitated to take that one step.

 _One step... That's all it takes, one step. Then...you're officially in uncharted territory._

She eventually did, and the result was...breathtaking, for lack of a better term. She breathed in and out before continuing onwards into the dark, deep realm that was the mysterious woodlands. As the weather was dropping significantly by the second, she considered herself _very_ lucky that she made the decision to bring warm clothing in spite of the summer season. However, it was vice versa when it came to her decision of leaving the safety of Branch's bunker during this hour; she made no other timeframe she could do so, but questioned her own stance on the matter. Because she wasn't a survivalist like he was, she didn't know what to expect, except for the possibility of some (if not most or all) of the forest occupants to be friendly and assisting. Some animals (again, if not most or all) could have been violent and feral, a thought which undoubtedly sent a shiver down her spine.

 _"When something feels wrong, you sing a song,"_ Princess Poppy's voice echoed in her head. Harper nodded in agreement at her subconscious' advice and did just that.

 ** _(" The Hanging Tree" - Jennifer Lawrence/Lorde & James Newton Howard)_**

 ** _Are you, are you coming to the tree?  
They strung up a Troll here, they say he murdered three  
Stranger things have happened here  
No matter who it be  
If we met here at midnight  
In the hanging tree..._**

Harper breathed heavily as she scanned back and forth rapidly. _Sing a little more. Yeah, continue singing and it'll be all fine._

 ** _Are you, are you coming to the tree?  
Where the dead Troll called out  
For his love to flee  
Stranger things have happened here  
No matter who it be  
If we met here at midnight  
In the hanging tree..._**

Continuing her long journey into the unknown, as well as her song of seemingly innocent comfort, Harper attempted to shake any remaining thoughts of dread that nobody (Troll or otherwise) would help her brave the dangers of the forest and even try to devour her.

 ** _Are you, are you coming to the tree?  
Where I told you to run, so we would be free  
Stranger things have happened here  
No matter who it be  
If we met here at midnight  
In the hanging tree...  
_**

 ** _SNAP!_**

Perhaps that thought was a little too close for comfort, as Harper's ears perked up at the sound of a literal branch splintered in half. The turquoise Troll gasped gently as she took cover. Unzipping the backpack and digging out a wooden-handled dagger, she gave it a short gaze that felt like a long one in her mental psyche:

 ** _Are you, are you coming to the tree?  
Wear a necklace of rope, side by side with me.  
Stranger things have happened here  
No matter who it be  
If we met here at midnight  
In the hanging tree..._**

She gulped a deep gulp once again before closing and slinging her backpack, slowly but surely making her trek towards Bergen Town a safe and sound one. However, the sound got closer and closer, narrowly catching up. With every step the creature took, Harper took two steps faster.

 ** _Are you, are you coming to the tree?  
Where I told you to run, so we would be free  
Stranger things have happened here  
No matter who it be  
If we met here at midnight  
In the hanging tree..._**

 _One..._

 ** _Are you, are you coming to the tree?  
Where the dead Troll called out  
For his love to flee  
Stranger things have happened here  
No matter who it be  
If we met here at midnight  
In the hanging tree..._**

 _Two..._

 ** _Are you, are you coming to the tree?  
Where the dead Troll called out  
For his love to flee  
Stranger things have happened here  
No matter who it be  
If we met here at midnight  
In the hanging tree..._**

 _Ten._

 ** _" In the hanging tree..."_**

Harper wasn't going to run. She was going to fight.

 ** _"YAH!"_**

What happened next was to be spontaneous: Harper stopped dead in her tracks, turned tail, and lunged at her stalker...dagger in hand as she did so. Evidently, the bushes rustling had finally gotten to her, prompting to her to attack without a bat in her eye. However, she didn't instantly _kill_ her pursuer. It was a good thing, too; the moment she straddled the hunter (or, rather, **_huntress_** ) and propped her weapon in her face...was the moment she instantly regretted doing so.

 _"... Mandy?"_

Indeed, it was the yellow Troll with raspberry hair and pink eyes who acted her as her stalker, albeit unwillingly. Judging by the scowl currently worn on her face, Mandy seemed rather ticked off about...something worth being ticked off about. She pushed Harper off her and stood up, brushing the dirt and dust off her dress.

"Yeah.. I'm Mandy, Mandy Sparkledust. And who are you, thief?"

Harper was taken aback by Mandy's uncharacteristic hostility as of this moment, "I'm sorry, _thief_?"

"I saw you sneaking out of Broth's bunker with a lot of his supplies! What do you have to say to your defense, thief?"

 _Broth...?_ Harper's head tilted in confusion until the realization hit her like an arrow to the back. She giggled. She chuckled. She laughed. She full-out howled like a hyena, threatening to disturb the woodland creatures of their well-deserved sleep. It was Mandy's turn this time to be taken aback by her perceived threat, despite her best intentions.

"Uh...what's so funny?"

Harper regained her composure before explaining to Mandy, "First of all, Mandy... His name is _Branch_. Second of all..." She then unmasked herself for dramatic effect, earning an intended gasp from her, "This thief has a name."

 _"... Harper?"_

"The one and only."

Without hesitation, Mandy lunged forward and engulfed Harper in a bone-crushing hug, which the latter returned with some difficulty. The former finally separated from the hug and began to become a motor mouth: "Oh, thank goodness! I was worried that the thief might have taken you as well, but...it turns out that the thief was actually _you_ all along. Wait... What _are_ you doing here? With a lot of Branch's supplies? I mean, I'm not agreeing or disagreeing on what you're doing here unless I know it first, I'm just...curious."

Harper tried to answer with no hesitation, but she did with some of it anyway: "I'm...going to save Poppy and Branch... _and the others..._ "

That last part came out as a murmur courtesy of a shy Harper, but it was loud enough for a formerly confused Mandy to hear. " _Oh..._ That's what I thought." An uncomfortable silence followed soon after before Harper started opening her mouth to reply...but Mandy interrupted her to do so first.

 ** _"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?!"_**

That time, the forest occupants did indeed awoke from their slumber, much to the two Trolls' terror. Fortunately for them, they remained awake for a split second or less before falling asleep once more. They both sighed in relief, thankful for the powers that be making them fall into their nightly helping of energy conserving. They wouldn't possibly get another chance like this again.

"... Maybe."

Mandy shot Harper one of those _"Seriously?"_ looks, to which she (Harper) replied, "But it's a risk I'm willing to take."

The yellow Troll was reluctant to join her turquoise companion on her journey or even turn back and head back to Broth's ‒ sorry, _Branch's_ ‒ survival bunker for safety. Mandy had absolutely no idea in the slightest why Harper ‒ her painting passionate, worrywart mess of a friend ‒ would dare take this life-threatening trek on her own. However, she supposed she was more the merrier for it.

"Well...you can't do it alone," Mandy huffed in defeat.

Harper shot her a _"Really?"_ look before she tackled her with a hug of her own. She returned the hug with an expression of half amusement/half non-amusement before breaking away with a question on her mind, "Where are we?"

Reality came crashing down on the duo as they realized their current location in the woods was currently unknown. After a few minutes of aimlessly scanning their surroundings for a path of some sort, Harper bit her lip while Mandy threw her hands up in exasperation. The former continued forward while the latter, after staring off as she walked away, followed after her.

"I don't know," Harper finally responded, "but we can move forward."

She then handed off her red scarf, which Mandy took after seeing that she had been shivering for the past few minutes. Wrapping the tippet around her neck, she breathed a warm breath of fresh relief as she walked side by side with her. From a distance, another Troll ‒ this time a male with bright green hair and red eyes ‒ watched as the two continued on their way. _Well, that's a good start._ Using his hair, he silently swung from treetop to treetop in order to catch up with the duo, unaware of the long adventure before them all...

* * *

 ** _A few miles away. . ._**

 _A machete-wielding Troll used said weapon to cut through the vines that enveloped the forest. As he slipped through, a female Troll trailed behind reading the map. He rolled his eyes at the sound of her singing, which he secretly enjoyed. Though it may surprise you, the Troll couple traveling to Bergen Town...were not Branch and Poppy._

 ** _"Wow. I guess all of this gives a whole new meaning to the phrase ' It's a jungle out here', right?"_**

 ** _"Sure. Let's go with that."_**

 ** _"... I'm sorry, was that sarcasm in your voice? Because I'm pretty sure it was."_**

 ** _"Well, if it was, Trolls like you probably wouldn't know that."_**

 ** _"Oh, ' Trolls like me', huh? Smooth."_**

 ** _"Hey, I said ' probably'. Next time...pay attention."_**

 _Before more could be said, the female Troll pulled the male Troll by his coat collar, making him stumble backward and almost lose his footing. Almost... Standing beneath him was a deep, dark abyss beyond the point of return. She pulled him back and face to face for a smug grin,_

 ** _"How about you pay attention next time?"_**

 ** _"Uh...right. Thanks, Dawn."_**

 ** _"Anytime, Dusk."_**

 _After sheathing his machete and folding her map, Dusk and Dawn then continued on their way. As they did, they failed to notice a dark shadow watching them trek onward from afar. It said nothing else, it did nothing else. It just...watched them._

 _And smiled._

 _It smiled a sinister smile before following behind._

 ** _"Oh, darling..."_**

* * *

 ** _A/N_** _: The team will not get together right away, but in a few chapters (possibly_ ** _Chapter 3_** _). Also, the OC's of Dusk and Dawn not only provide a sense of comic relief, but both play a prominent part in the story. So...you might wanna remember them._

 _Episode 1 Summary:_ ** _"After sneaking out of Branch's bunker, Harper attempts to find the path to Bergen Town before confronted by a watcher in the woods. This watcher is revealed to be Mandy Sparkledust, who then decides to join her in her quest to save the other captive Trolls; another Troll who snuck out of Branch's bunker has decided to join them as well. Meanwhile, Dusk and Dawn_** _ **‒ two Troll bounty hunters** **‒ are journeying to Bergen Town, unaware of the mission that awaits them...**_ ** _"_**

 _Up Next on Episode 2: **"Harper and Mandy are cornered by spiders; The third Troll saves them and introduces himself before they are joined by another Troll or two..."**_


	2. Chapter 2

_Hi, everyone, **MarcellusMiro66** here! This is Episode 2 of **" The Hanging Tree"**. Previously on **" The Hanging Tree"**..._

 _(~****~)_

 _"I'm...going to save Poppy and Branch...and the others..."_

 _. . ._

 ** _"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?!"_**

 _. . ._

 _"... Maybe. But it's a risk I'm willing to take."_

 _. . ._

 _"Well...you can't do it alone."_

* * *

 ** _Episode 2: " The Call Two Arms"_**

The sunlight finally shone through the forest canopies after a few hours. In the hours that passed, the two female Trolls set up camp up in the trees away from the clutches of any predators. Harper and Mandy were tired out from the hiking that ensued, their sleeping bodies sprawled across their respective beds in the midst of their well-deserved nap. The former woke up first ‒ complete with a weary yawn and stretching arms ‒ a few minutes before the latter. A few steps out from beneath the mushroom was all that was required to let the sunshine shroud her. Harper then let her head hang in despair and regret. _Maybe I was a little over my head to think that was going to work..._

Yes, Harper was portrayed as adventurous and overconfident in the heat of the moment that was her fire-forged determination to help the Princess and Branch. Aside from her passion for painting, she was so caught up in the heart of the swashbuckling stories told to her and the other children by Poppy and her father King Peppy. The invincible and handsome hero, the hero's beautiful love interest, the comic relief sidekick, the dastardly villain, and the hero's journey to stop the villain and save the world. The archetypes were all there...and it was tired and clichéd. Namely, the love interest playing the stereotypical "damsel in distress" on more than one occasion really started to grate on her nerves. She was young and naïve back then; she knew better now. Nowadays, most females in the village knew how to handle themselves, but the fact bothered her that some knew how to do, but decided to conform to gender stereotypes anyway.

That was then. This is now. And for the sake of their kingdom...they were going to buck that trend.

 ** _"Ah! Look out!"_**

 ** _DONK!_**

I'm sorry, did I say _"they"_? I meant _"Harper and **Harper only**"_. The turquoise Troll's eyebrows significantly lowered down and turned around to find her yellow companion rubbing her forehead and groaning in pain.

"Mandy, do you want to wake up the entire forest like last night?"

"Well, Harper, that was _last night_. This is _first day_. The first day of an adventure beyond borders!"

Harper looked at the readers and then back at Mandy, "Was that sarcasm?"

Mandy dropped the faux-happy act and grumpily huffed, "That was sarcasm." She then plopped down onto the ground and pulled at her eyes. "I'm sorry, Harper. Girls like me aren't fit for bone-cracking, blood-shedding journeys like this."

Harper joined her not soon after. "Girls who are more concerned about their appearance and reputation rather than the well-being of others and their own?"

"... Sure. Let's go with that."

"Mandy, you chose to go with me because you had no choice, but I didn't say no."

"That's not completely true. I only went with you because you can't possibly survive in the forest alone...and because I had no choice."

"You know what I mean, do you?"

"Yes, I do. You do realize though that we're over our heads going on this...voyage?"

Harper nodded and breathed, "Yes, I do. But..." She then stood up and stuck out a hand to help Mandy up. "It can't hurt to try, right?"

A moment passed before Mandy took Harper's hand to be hoisted up and responded with, "No... I guess not."

 ** _HISS!_**

Harper and Mandy gasped in terror again before glancing up. It seemed to occur to the latter _just now_ that she forgot to inform the former of their sleeping place choice as a result of their weariness. As of this moment...they were _right_ underneath a spider's web. Mandy was clearly horrified at their predicament, but Harper was clearly not amused. Not at her friend (as much as she needed/wanted to be), but at the spiders who seemed quite at depth in being something of a moment killer... No pun intended.

 _"Uh...Harper?"_

 _"Don't do anything, Mandy. Don't breathe, don't scream...and don't run."_

 _. . ._

 ** _"RUN!"_**

Harper, Mandy, and the spiders looked up (and turned around in the two girls' cases) to find a hooded figure swinging towards and landing in front of them. It was presumably another Troll, judging by the figure's shape, size, and stature. He unsheathed a sword and unmasked himself, but didn't leave his identity to be revealed. Dual-wielding both his green hair and bladed weapon, he charged into combat with the eight-legged freak of nature. Utilizing his sharp foil to cut their long legs in half and his green hair as a whip to further back them away from the girls, he failed to notice the other two arachnids lowering down on him. Harper drew her dagger and charged into battle with him. For starters, she took out one of its eyes and completely blinded it; she then used her hair to wrap it around its neck, forcing it into a chokehold. The green-haired male Troll as his assistant managed to flip the spider on its back before throwing it off the tree, knocking the other two down with it in the process.

The turquoise Troll took a breather or two before turning to face Mandy, a frustrated scowl present in her eyes but not on her face. "Mandy... I know how this adventure stuff is new to you, but...feel free to step in any time, okay?"

The yellow Troll clearly understood her friend's agitation and apologized, "Right. Sorry, Harper. I just didn't feel like cramping on your style...or Aspen's."

 _Aspen...?_ Harper turned to face the third Troll among them. Indeed, without the hooded cloak and with a much better look of him, the green hair and red eyes immediately identified him as Aspen Heitz, the resident skateboarder of the village.

"Aspen! What are you doing here?"

The Troll in question nervously scratched the back of his head and chuckled with that same emotion, "Oh, well... I saw you leaving Branch's bunker with a bag of his supplies, and apparently, so did Mandy. When she left to follow you, I decided to follow right behind her, but not before I grabbed some supplies of my own." He then flashed his own backpack before continuing on, "I was wondering why you two would be leaving during nighttime, but after overhearing your conversation... I now know the reason why. So... I want to help you girls save the other Trolls."

Harper was touched by Aspen's speech. Mandy was touched by...something else.

"See, Mandy? Aspen remembers that it's _Branch_ , _**not** Broth_."

"Yeah, yeah. Got it. Please don't remind me."

"Wait, Mandy thought Branch's name was Broth?"

"I know, I know. It was stupid. My mistake."

"Aspen..." Harper started, "Did anybody else follow you or us here?"

 _ **"You're darn tooting right somebody else followed you lot here!"**_

Harper, Mandy, and Aspen gasped in surprise and glanced up again. This time, instead of spiders greeting them, it was two other female Trolls swinging down from the branches above. The first girl had magenta skin, fuchsia eyes, candy-floss hair, and a dark yellow dress with an orange ombre effect. The second girl had bright purple skin, dark blue eyes, bright blue hair, and a bright yellow dress with a green ombre effect.

The middle girl gasped again, this time in pleasant shock. "Moxie! Cookie! What are you girls doing here?"

"We're here because of you two," Moxie crossed her arms.

"Something about you and Harper saving the other Trolls from the Bergens," Cookie merely shrugged.

 _Well, this is rather convenient..._ Harper thought to herself as she and Aspen watched the three female Trolls converse with each other. The latter turned to the former for clarification, "Is that everybody? Everybody that wants to join in on the journey?"

"I think so," Harper nodded in confirmation. "Or, at the very least, I _hope_ so. We can't afford any more Trolls to become in harm's way."

"True," Aspen nodded in agreement before he realized something. "Well, look at you. The all mighty and commanding leader of this...Snack Pack."

It took a minute for Harper to fully comprehend what Aspen said, but a chuckle soon escaped her when she did, " _Snack Pack?_ Aspen, I'm not exactly either of those things you described me with."

"Well, it's mostly true...in terms of the leadership thing."

"Sure. Let's go with that." Harper then walked off to retrieve her backpack, which she slung over her shoulder. "All right, everyone. If that's everybody, then we need to keep moving."

"Harper, are you sure this is a great idea?" Cookie rubbed the side of her arm in uncertainty.

"No," The turquoise Troll merely stated the obvious, "but I'm sure it's a _good_ one." Before she performed a bait-and-switch.

Moxie and Cookie exchanged uncertain glances before sighing in resignation. The former remarked to the latter, "Well...what have we got to lose? I mean, besides our lives?"

"No one's going to die, you two," Mandy commented. "At least, I _hope_..."

 _Mandy was right._ Harper persisted in being resilient throughout the journey so far, but the pressure above her was threatening to break the ground beneath her. She had the weight of her newfound teammates and their fates resting on her fragile shoulders. In spite of all of this, she...strove to remain brave on the trek and (dare she say not) welcome the horrors of the real world with open arms.

 _The call to arms... I accept you._

* * *

 ** _At The Same Time. . ._**

 _Climbing up the Tree of Spiders, Dusk and Dawn found their journey interrupted by the sudden appearance and disappearance of a falling aforementioned spider. Exchanging glances for a brief moment, they then glanced up to find the voices they were following coalescing with three others._

 ** _"You think it's them?"_**

 _ **"Let's hope. Harper's gonna need all the help she can get."** Dusk then scanned around the area, **"We should wait here, though."**_

 _ **"Oh, to avoid suspicion of a third party following them?"** Dawn rubbed her chin and nodded in understanding, **"Smart, smart."**_

 _ **"It's not supposed to be smart..."**_ _The blue Troll huffed under his breath. The orange Troll noticed, however, and a sad smile crossed her facial features._

 ** _"Still, though... Why are we doing this?"_**

 ** _"They will lead us to the Bergens, who in turn will lead me to Chef. She's nothing more than a wicked, selfish, and traitorous creature who should've never been unleashed onto the face of the Earth. Sadistic and ruthless, she'll do anything to restore her place in the limelight...including murder. She took away my hope...so I will take away hers."_**

 _' A revenge story, huh?' _

_**"... I take it she killed a loved one?"**_

 ** _"... Yes... And I'll never forget the day she did..."_**

 _Dusk then unsheathed his machete to sharpen while Dawn watched. She felt unhesitant sympathy for her companion run through her blood. He seemed so... So helpless. Strip him of his weapon and sarcasm, and he's just another normal Troll. Even without either of those two signature traits, he was somewhat appealing, charismatic, and... so lovely. Yes, even if there was a better term for it._

 ** _"We'll find her..."_**

 ** _"... I'm sorry?"_**

 ** _"Don't be. We'll find...Chef...and make her pay for what she did to you."_**

 _Dusk knew what Dawn was doing, and sighed in exasperation. **"Thank you, Dawn."** He thanked her anyway, something which she gently smiled at and returned the thanks, **"You're welcome."** Scanning around like he did before, that smile of hers grew into its former glory._

 ** _"Do you want to start singing that song?"_**

 _Dusk shot a " Are you effing insane?" look at Dawn and immediately deadpanned, **"No."**_

 ** _"... I'm going to anyway."_**

 _As one to do, Dawn broke into song and served as the pallet cleanser to Dusk's tense moment._

 ** _("You're Welcome" – Dwayne Johnson)_**

 ** _So what can I say except "You're welcome"_**  
 ** _For the tide, the sun, and the sky_**  
 ** _Hey, it's okay, it's okay, you're welcome_**  
 ** _I'm just an ordinary Troll-guy_**  
 ** _So what can I say except "You're welcome"_**  
 ** _For the tide, the sun and the sky_**  
 ** _Hey, it's okay, it's okay, you're welcome_**  
 ** _I'm just an ordinary Troll-guy_**

 _This continued for the duration of their journey. And sure enough, Dusk joined in with Dawn._

 _' The call to arms... I accept you.'_

 _From a dark section of the forest, the shadow took form and watched the two continue upward. It smiled in anticipation of what would arrive much sooner than later._

 ** _"Soon, revenge shall be mine...and you shall be begging for mercy before I take your life."_**

 _The shadow instantly dissipated._

* * *

 _ **A/N** : **Rogue One** is also one of my influences. The majority of the team has united, just a few more members and you've a team. The plot and subplot will cross paths eventually. Also, I don't own (in addition to the songs they belong to) **Trolls** , **The Hunger Games** , and/or **Moana** ; if I did, well... Make of it what you will._


	3. Chapter 3

__Hi, everyone,__ _ ** _ **MarcellusMiro66**_**_ _ _here! This is Chapter 3 of__ _ ** _ **" The Hanging Tree"**_**_ _ _. Previously on__ _ ** _ **" The Hanging Tree"**_**_ _ _...__

 _ _(~****~)__

 _ _"Harper, are you sure this is a great idea?"__

 _ _"No...but I'm sure it's a__ _ _good ____one."__

 _ _"Well...what have we got to lose? I mean, besides our lives?"__

 _ _"No one's going to die, you two. At least, I hope..."__

* * *

 ** _ _ **Episode 3: "**__** ** _ _ **Rule Of Three**__** ** _ _ **"**__**

The evening began to settle in after six hours passed. It was around four when the group felt their feet beginning to feel sore from the all walking involved, their aching back only adding to the pain. Not to mention, they didn't bother to stop and rest for a few minutes or more before continuing onward. The moment Harper announced their first pit stop in miles was the moment they __literally__ collapsed onto the ground. They were aching to get some rest and set up camp...no pun intended.

Moxie and Cookie both leaned against each other's backs as they soothed each other's feet.

"Saving the Trolls...is a lot harder than I thought," Cookie groaned as Moxie rubbed her feet.

"No one said it was going to be easy," Moxie groaned as Cookie rubbed __her__ feet.

"I did, and that was my mistake," Mandy rubbed her own feet as she spotted Aspen passing the trio carrying two buckets of water; a pair of Caterbugs appropriately carried an additional pair. Forcing herself to get up, she hobbled her way over to him and snatched the two buckets from him.

"Yeah, but no one's blaming you for it," Aspen watched as the yellow Troll dipped for her feet into them. __And...there goes one half of the drinking water for us all...__ He turned to find Harper gazing at her reflection in the river where he retrieved the water from. __But more of that later. Harper clearly has some doubts on her self-proclaimed leadership.__ "Harper?"

The turquoise Troll seemed to notice him calling her, as she briefly glanced back with her gaze never leaving the reflection. "Aspen's right, Mandy. No one's blaming you for thinking that this was going to be easy. Believe me...I made the same mistake."

The group minus Harper was strongly taken aback by their "leader's" response. Mandy in particular had a strong chord struck within her – not just because she made the assumption that received a questionable reaction, but because she possessed a staunch sisterly relationship with her. When she was first introduced to her by Poppy, Mandy was not exactly adept to adjusting towards younger Trolls and neither did Harper herself. However, the phrase "third time's the charm" existed for a reason; she finally managed to win her over by offering her advice and compliments towards a painting she once brushed...on the **__**third**__** time they met. From there, the path to friendship was slow and steady, but their bond to this day was considered unbreakable in spite of their differences.

Now, Mandy had to prove it to Harper.

"Harper...don't do that."

That time, Harper glanced away from the river and to Mandy. "Do __what__?"

" _ _That__. You're doubting yourself on this mission. It was never easy to begin with, considering it involves saving the other Trolls from the Bergens. You're undermining yourself by thinking it's harder than it already is."

"That's not the only problem..."

"Pardon?"

"With you guys here, there's a higher possibility of becoming a risk or liability in the crossfire. I was supposed to go alone...so nobody else would die. I would become a sacrificial lamb... A worthless martyr."

Mandy staggered back in horror as Harper's next words. " ** _ _ **Harper!**__** Do not call yourself __worthless__! You're much more than that! You're smart, confident, and determined to stand up to the challenge! L–Look! Look where we are! We wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you!...and that's in the best way possible!"

Harper took a minute to glance around her. The rest of her group shot her a series of sincere smiles that expressed their agreement towards Mandy's speech. __She's right...or she's wrong. I don't know for sure.__ She eventually nodded in understanding and began to apologize. "You're right. I'm...I'm sorry. I'm just...overthinking myself."

"You don't have to apologize, Harper." Mandy pulled her in for a hug, which she returned. "You just need to not lose hope. We'll find them...eventually."

"Even if it takes three months or three years," Cookie placed both hands on her hips and nodded, leaving the others to look at her with a much befuddled expression. Moxie was the only one who acted whereas the others reacted; she punched her friend's arm and prompted to wince in pain.

"Okay then... Now that's out of the way...shall we sleep?"

"Yeah," Harper nodded and turned to Mandy with a smile, "We all deserve it."

Mandy returned said smile and nodded, "That I can agree on."

* * *

 _ _A few hours into their intended sleep, however...__

 ** _ _ **("**__** ** _ _ **Action Reaction**__** ** _ _ **" – Rupert Gregson-Williams) [From**__** ** _ _ **Wonder Woman**__** ** _ _ **]**__**

 _ ** _ **"HARPER, RUN!"**_**_

 _ ** _ **(0:00-1:02)**_**_

 _ _The turquoise Troll shot from her bed and turned towards the source of the loud warning/command. However, all she saw was a breed of spiders crawling their way. Her eyes widening in horror, she turned to face her group, who had awoken as a result of the scream. Noticing how tired they still were, though, she instantly got to her feet and helped them up.__

 ** _ _ **"Everyone, we need to go! Now!"**__**

 ** _ _ **(1:02-3:15)**__**

 _ _Mandy was the first to notice the arachnid swarm and she gasped in terrified shock, grabbing her things and helping Moxie to her feet just as Aspen helped Cookie. They immediately made a run for it, abandoning any unnecessary belongings which ended up being torn or trampled to pieces by their eight-legged pursuers. It was because of the unlikely timing of their intervention that it was still nighttime, so no one could witness the ensuing chaos...but fortunately, neither did the spiders. Indeed, most species of spiders have inherited poor night vision despite their eight eyes, and this group was no exception. This fact didn't make the group feel any better, though.__

 _ _Harper and Aspen both cut down any plants and vines that blocked their escape route, with Mandy hurling the more heavyset ones at the spiders. Her third try managed to knock three of them off their feet and onto their backs. The others merely leapt over their fallen comrades and continued to chase after them. Moxie and Cookie took any leftovers she had left and built boomerangs out of them. Amazingly enough, their first and second tries cut down their legs, but it was the third try that brought about another domino effect much like Mandy's before. Nonetheless, they proved that they weren't going to give up that easily.__

 ** _ _ **(3:15-4:00)**__**

 _ _Once their pursuers were far away enough, the group took a few minutes to take a breather before continuing on. As they did, Harper was the only one to notice the two shadowy figures in the distance following them. She was able to spot them because there was a tinge of color besides black, the color of their hooded cloaks. As she noticed them, they seemed to notice her as well, but never acknowledged this fact straightforward. '__ _ _Who are they?__ _ _What are they?__ _ _' As she continued to lead the group and catch up with them at the same time, the two figures seemed to get smaller and smaller every time she squinted closer and closer. The third time she looked, a better look at the two figures was in order; one of them was clearly a Troll, while the other was clearly...not.__

 ** _ _ **(4:00-5:15)**__**

 _ _Aspen suddenly had an idea. Taking a deep breath, he whistled as hard as he could. Out of nowhere, a class of Caterbugs arrived at their aid. He, Harper, Mandy, Moxie, and Cookie (after the latter two's reluctance) got on and buckled up for the ride. They swayed and swerved around in order to confuse the stalking spiders and even prompted to collide with each other, sending them tumbling all over in defeat. Once the coast was clear (mostly, as three remaining continued the chase), they took to the trees and disappeared without a trace. Harper and Mandy signaled everybody to remain quiet for the time being. Moxie and Cookie struggled the hardest, but both managed to pull through. Until it wasn't necessary any longer.__

 ** _ _ **(5:15-5:55)**__**

 _ _The spiders had found and caught up with them again, just as the Caterbugs took off again. The group (Harper especially) knew that this chase could not continue any longer. They spotted a river up ahead and headed towards it. When a spider shot its silk at a Caterbug, Harper was thrown off and into the air. She landed hard on the ground and shot up to find her Caterbug surrounded on all sides. She drew her dagger and threw herself into battle, killing two of them in the process. But the third managed to evade all of her attacks by sacrificing its own and striking her blind.__

 _ _Harper shouted out in pain, but she herself didn't hear it. The others did, much to their absolute horror.__

 ** _ _ **"Harper!"**__**

 _ _The turquoise Troll ignored the overlapping shouts of numbness and grabbed the spider by its fangs. With all her mustered strength, she flipped her assailant over and stabbed it multiple times before tearing its mouth open. All the while, the group watched on with a subtle blend of shock and awe. They watched on as their leader took slow and labored breaths before she collapsed onto the ground and into a whirlpool of drowsiness.__ _ _Running over to check for any signs of life, the group breathed a sigh of united relief when they located a pulse. They weren't out of danger yet, as the group's ears perked up at the sound of approaching spiders hissing in the distance. Mandy immediately hoisted Harper up and carried her as they retreated once more. Until...__

 ** _ _BOOM!__**

 _ _One of the spiders made the unfortunate decision to leap down from a higher branch. The group (sans the spider, which was impaled on a protruding twig on the way) tumbled down and, in the midst of freefall, Mandy lost her grip on Harper. Separating from the others, the yellow Troll could only scream out in despair as she attempted to reach out for her sister.__

 ** _ _"HARPER!"__**

 _ _Harper herself didn't discern Mandy's shout of distress amongst the ringing that filled her ears. She also didn't hear neither the sound of her hitting numerous tree branches and plants on the way down three times, nor her own yells of pain and agony as she did so. Eventually rolling down onto a patch of flowers, the turquoise Troll winced at the injuries gained. Struggling to sit up and even breathe, Harper whimpered at the sight of the amount of blood that leaked from her sutures, but no tears were released just yet. No, the tears came when it became clear that no one was coming to help her as she was stuck in a secluded area...separated from the others.__

 _ _Harper finally cried. She cried as if her life depended on it.__

 ** _ _"Help..."__**

 _ _From afar, the mysterious shadow materialized and watched Harper lay there in a puddle of tears. Taking pity for the poor Troll, the shadow frowned(?) and soared down to her level, going unnoticed by her who had curled up into a ball. Observing her from head to toe, it nodded in satisfaction. ' Hmm... Sufficient speed, systematic strength, competent combat... Yes, she'll make an excellent host...'__

* * *

 _ ** _A/N_**_ _ _: Did anybody see this coming? I sure hope not.__


	4. Chapter 4

_Hi, everyone, **MarcellusMiro66** here! Previously on **" The Hanging Tree"**..._

 _(~****~)_

 _"With you guys here, there's a higher possibility of becoming a risk or liability in the crossfire. I was supposed to go alone...so nobody else would die. I would become a sacrificial lamb... A worthless martyr."_

. . .

 _"_ _ **Harper!** Do not call yourself worthless! You're much more than that! You're smart, confident, and determined to stand up to the challenge! L–Look! Look where we are! We wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you!...and that's in the best way possible!"_

 _. . ._

 _"Everyone, we need to go! Now!"_

 _. . ._

 _ **"HARPER!** **"**_

* * *

 _The turquoise Troll shot up in fear and initially ignored pain, which should've taken effect considering she had previously taken three spiders head-on with nothing but a dagger. Labored breathing offered a sense of familiarity to her, being the last thing she heard before she lost consciousness. Attempting her best to sit up, she groaned in growing pain and clutched her side...when she really should be clutching her back._

 ** _"Hello, dear child..."_**

 _Harper tensed up upon realizing that she wasn't alone and scanned around for the source of the voice. Because of the lack of light (save for a few crevices in the canopies above), it was rather difficult for her vision to manifest at the moment. When it did, however, the moment couldn't be any more improper. The figure before her was that of a shadow, a shadow with glowing red eyes...and a female gender._

 ** _"What...who are you?"_**

 _The shadow merely smiled(?) and floated in circles around Harper, who cautiously eyed her wherever she went. She never did face her directly eye-to-eye, however, out of fear that she would possess the power of hypnosis._

 ** _"The person who saved your life. Honestly, you should be thanking me instead of questioning me."_**

 ** _"Uh...thank you?"_**

 ** _"You're quite welcome. You shouldn't have."_**

 _' Oh...did I seriously walk right into that?'_

 ** _"Yes... Yes, you did."_**

 _' Oh God, she can read my mind?'_

 ** _"Yes... Yes, I can."_**

 _Harper scowled in frustration and made a mental note to stop thinking out loud._

 ** _"So...you saved me? Why? You honestly seem like a bad guy."_**

 ** _"A bad girl, dear. But yes...I actually am. I saved you, however, because you may be of use to me...if you are willing to comply."_**

 ** _"... What do you want?"_**

 ** _"Hmm. Interesting... Normally, the people I make deals with show some slight ounce of hesitation, considering who I am."_**

 ** _"I'm not the first person?"_**

 ** _"No...and you certainly won't be the last."_**

 ** _"... Well, I am concerned. What exactly does this deal of yours involve?"_**

 ** _"Does body possession concern you as much as me?"_**

 ** _" Body possession?_** ** _"_**

 ** _"It's simple. I take temporary control of your figure for my own purposes."_**

 ** _"Yeah, I know what it means. Are you insane?"_**

 ** _"No, dear. I'm unsane. Besides, the process doesn't necessarily hurt. Think of it as...pulling teeth."_**

 ** _"That's not exactly a favorable comparison."_**

 ** _"Oh, you know what I mean. My point is, dear... I have too many close brushes with death now, and the encounters have become more and more life-threatening every day with my search for a new host. What I'm trying to say is..."_**

 ** _"You want me to be your new host?"_**

 ** _"For the time being. The spell I'm under can't last long."_**

 _Harper had been listening attentively to the shadow, and she couldn't but feel sympathy for the devil. Yes indeed, in spite of the fact this...thing was supposed to be a so-called villain, she didn't seem like it. She felt sorry for her; whoever placed the spell that prevented an ability to retain her former figure on her may have had a good reason to do so, but this was just crossing the line._

 _After thinking the option over, Harper sighed in resignation._

 _ **"No one I care about gets hurt or killed. Understand?"** _

**_"Cross my heart, dear...and hope to die."_**

 _Harper nodded and offered out a hand for the shadow to grasp on to. The shadow herself smiled and gladly took it. Suddenly, a bright white light illuminated the entire darkness as she dissipated into thin air and entered through her mouth. Labored breathing once more consumed the silent atmosphere as Harper processed what had happened. The possession procedural was done..._

 _...and it wasn't a pleasant one._

 ** _"Argh!"_**

 _A shout of pain left Harper's mouth as her body began to burn. Glancing down at her form, her eyes widened in horror as it began to blacken as well. She could do nothing but scream in complete dread as the darkness consumed her entire frame. Her hands now held clawed fingers, her mouth now detained sharp fangs, and her eyes reverted from pink/green to blood red. On top of that, her hair immediately flattened into a hime/lob cut. The newly-transformed shadow growled and howled into the heavens above, a signal of her newfound nature._

 ** _"NYYYaAAAAaaaaaaAAaaaaAAAAaaaaaaAAAAAAAaaaaaaaAAAaaAAAARGH!"_**

* * *

Harper shot up again. This time, it wasn't a dream.

It was real.

Heavily panting and softly refocusing, she wiped any forming sweating beads on her forehead as she took in her surroundings. She was in a pod...or was she? This particular pod was constructed out of wood, quite atypical for the usual ones; they were usually consisting of gigantic flowers or other plants. However, the furnishings normally associated with Troll pods were present. Her mental gears began to turn as she recalled the events from yesterday night, prompting her to briefly glimpse at her body for any signs of monstrous transformation. Of course, there was nothing: no darkened form, no rebel hairstyle, and no crimson red eyes.

"Miss Harper?"

The turquoise Troll glanced to her left to find an elderly Troll(?) enter the room with an expression of relief crossing her face. She wasn't completely sure whether or not the figure before her was a Troll or not, but rather she assumed as such before her similar size and multicolored nature. In this case, it was dark blue [skin and eyes] with a dash of white [hair]. In terms of additional accessories, she wore a red hat with a white flower pinned to the side and clutched a wooden staff with a blue flower at its crown. _So she must be the leader of this village...if there is a village..._

"Um, yes?"

"Ah, good. You remember your name."

"Uh...yes, I can. So, I don't mean to rude, but – "

"Who am I and _where_ am I? Yes, I get those questions _a lot_ , so I don't blame you. Anyway, my name is Smurf Willow...and you're in Smurfy Grove. And it was lucky my Smurfs came upon yourself lest you bleed to death."

Harper merely blinked in bewilderment – not just at the woman's straightforward response, but at her usage of a unfamiliar term. "Uh...what?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. My sense of humor is different from yours, I suppose."

"Oh, no. It's not that... What's a _"Smurf"_?"

Silence followed the question not soon after...followed by a fit of hearty laughter. Harper watched as Smurf Willow was lost amidst her tirade of hysterics before she eventually calmed down. Moving a hand towards her forehead, the elderly faux Troll (or "Smurf", whatever that was and meant) shook her whole as she sighed.

"I forgot: you're not a Smurf."

Harper glanced around and avoided her motherly gaze, despite her best intentions.

"Uh, no. I'm not. Seriously, what's a Smurf? I've never heard of it before until now."

"No, you haven't, and I won't hold it against you. As stated earlier, we usually get these expressions a lot the first time somebody discovers us."

" _'We'_? _'Us'_? _'The first time'_?"

"Yes, I know it's very confusing to you. Believe me, this has happened a lot." Smurf Willow stood and gestured towards the door, "Can you walk?"

"A little bit." Harper then proceeded to try and stand up...emphasis on the word "try". It took a moment or so to get herself upright, but those few moments were about as painful as they were gainful. She ambled over to where Smurf Willow stood and placed both hands on both hands.

"Yep. Got it under control."

"Right..."

Smurf Willow pushed the door open to let the moonlight shine into the room. _How is it still nighttime? It's_ _–_

Harper's train of thought was immediately derailed by the first steps she took. She lost her footing and nearly fell ten stories down below, had Smurf Willow not caught her in time. The Smurf again shot the Troll a sincere smile before they continued down to ground level. When they did, every other Smurf noticed and begin to stare at her in wonder and intrigue. It made her extremely uncomfortable, although this uncomfortableness was neutered by one small thing: _They're all girls..._

"Yes, they're all girls. Ease into it."

The thought process was not easy, but Harper eventually did just that. The Smurfs approached them and bombarded their leader – namely, _"Who's our new visitor?"_ and _" What is our new visitor?"_

"All right, everyone! Let's give the poor dear some space!" Smurf Willow proclaimed as she cleared a path.

"Or we can give a makeover!"

Harper and Smurf Willow turned around to find a Smurf hopping towards them. She wore a yellow dress and hat with a pink flower attached, along with a blue/green/orange necklace and bracelet. She seemed particularly eager to get acquainted to her new friend.

"Hello, friend! I'm Smurf Blossom! Nice to finally meet you!"

The first mistake Harper made was taking the hand Smurfblossom took out to shake. When she recovered from the dizziness, the second mistake was introducing herself to her.

"Hello, Smurf Blossom. My name is Harper."

"Hmm..." Smurf Blossom tilted her head ever so slightly, that same goofy-looking smile still plastered on her face. " _Harper..._ Heh, heh. That's _funny_..."

Harper glanced over at Smurf Willow in confusion; she merely smirked and shook her head. "How so?"

 _"Harper... Harper... Harper, Harper, Harper, Harper, Harper, Harper, Harper, Harper...!"_ Smurf Blossom repeated whilst hopping up and down. "Are you named after a harp? If so, can you play it? You know...just out of curiosity?"

The turquoise Troll could only blink in bewilderment, but responded (with a half-hearted lie) anyway. "Not yet...Smurf Blossom? I need more practice."

"Well, you know what they say: practice makes perfect! Maybe I can get Smurf Melody – or, better yet, Smurf Storm – to help you. They're both experts in musical stylings. Right, girls?"

The one Smurf named Smurf Melody nodded and smiled. The other Smurf named Smurf Storm...stood and frowned. And continued training an arrow on her. Until she stopped and huffed before continuing her frowning some more.

"..." Smurf Blossom turned back to Harper and flashed a smile as if it were perfectly normal. "That means yes. No need to worry, Harper. We'll be the best of friends, you and I!"

Harper found her amusement within the spirit of this particular Smurf ( _Yeah, maybe we will be the best of friends..._ ) before gasping in concern as the terrifying realization hit her.

"Oh no! Smurf Willow, my friends are out there! They may be in danger!"

The one called Smurf Storm clutched her bow by her side as she cautiously approached Harper – one hand reaching for an arrow, the other reaching for her dagger.

"You mean there's more of you?"

Harper could not respond. _Are you threatening me?_

* * *

 _ **A/N** : So, Harper was close to death and essentially made a deal with the devil in order to survive. From there, she befriends a race of creatures similar to her own known as the **"Smurfs"** (or the **"Smurfettes"** , in this case), who have no idea who she is and vice versa._

 _ **Chapter 5** : "Smurf Willow sends Smurf Storm and Smurf Blossom to accompany her on her scout for the rest of her friends. Meanwhile, Mandy herself makes a honest effort to lead the team to safety...with mixed results." _


End file.
